Perverse to lose beds

Published: 10 June, 2011

• ST Luke’s Hospital is to be sold. This quite shocking revelation that the mental health trust is closing so many of its hospital beds (nearly 100) should worry us all, particularly where it is known to be cutting its community services by 40 per cent (For sale: prime piece of NHS real estate, May 27). 

What will be left? Very much thinned down provision over-managed in the way that seems to have become an NHS trademark. The numbers of doctors and nurses are being reduced but there seems to be no such reduction in the number of managers.

At a time when it is recognised that mental illness is on the increase it seems perverse to be closing services set up to treat it. Can it be safe to do so or does another Christopher Clunis or Anthony Hardy have to appear before this question is asked?

The trust will use the fact that the local mental health patients’ group, iBUG, run by long-time supporters Peter Jones and Shirely Scott-Norton, has raised no objections. It would be unusual if it did.  

In its life, with offices provided by the trust and funding from Islington Council and the primary care trust, it has not once raised its voice to oppose the severe cuts to  mental health services which are taking place locally. 

Neither is it shamed when this is pointed out. However, Islington LinK has no better record. Where are the patients’ voices? The government contends that it wants to hear from patients, so why isn’t there an independent Islington organisation which will speak up for them?

DANNY BLOOM
Tollington Park Road, N4